


A Cheshire Grin

by BellsAshe



Category: Mad Hatter Jefferson, OUAT Jefferson, Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-26
Updated: 2017-05-16
Packaged: 2018-10-24 10:08:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10739532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BellsAshe/pseuds/BellsAshe
Summary: Once just a normal human you are now the fabled Cheshire Cat. For to long you had been bored but now a stranger has come to Wonderland. A handsome one at that. Something draws you to him. What does the future hold for you and this charming hatter?





	1. A Stranger in Wonderland

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoy! :)

At one time you had been just a human girl. So long ago Those days were a haze now. Had you been born in Wonderland or brought there later in life? If you had been brought here then by who? Your parents? Who were your parents? Did you even have any? If you did, where were they? So many questions you had had at one time that floated around your mind continuously. It was a terrible thing not knowing where you had come from. Yet as the years drifted by, and there had been to many to keep track of, those questions tucked themselves away deeper and deeper within your subconscious until you didn’t even think about them anymore. Well, except one.

What was your name?

Your name had been lost to you long ago. You hadn’t meant to lose it. It just sort of escaped you one day never to return. Things from your old life tended to do that. It had been ages since you became what you are now and time had come to a standstill for you. It was understandable to forget the events of long ago but how could you have forgotten your name. Such a foolish girl you were. 

“Cheshire!” called a voice from down below.

Your eyes slowly opened. Vaguely you wondered what color they were today. They had a habit of changing at random. It wasn’t uncommon to go through every color of the rainbow in a single hour. 

“Cheshire!” the same voice called. Or was it? It was a little different now.

Though you did not have a name, your friends of this world had grown accustomed to calling you the Cheshire Cat. Where they got Cheshire was beyond your knowledge but the cat part they added had it's purpose. Long ago you'd shifted forms to become a slender purple cat with pink stripes. There was no fun in being of ordinary colors so why not something strange. If ever you wanted you could change back. The occasion where you would need to do so had yet to happen so you had remained content as a cat. It had been your favorite animal…...or had it? There was a reason for the choice of animal. You knew there was. Maybe you'd eventually figure it out. 

A yawn escaped you as you stretched out with front claws extended and your tail swaying behind you. All this while you remained floating high up in air. Gravity was no restraint on you. Even reality itself seemed to bend to your will at time. It was a peculiar thing you didn’t quite fully understand. 

Like a fallen feather you began to descend to the ground where the voice, or voices, were calling for you. The rocking motion almost made you want to doze again. What an incredibly lazy cat you’d been lately. You were no better than some average house cat that lazed about all day in the sun. Wonderland as of late had become so boring which was incredibly weird to say considering how abnormal this particular land tended to be. 

Below on the ground stood the owners of the voices calling out. Well no wonder the voices had sounded almost the same but not. The owners were the Tweedles. Both wore a matching expression that was a mix concern and a dash of excitement.

“What is it my dear Tweedles?” you questioned while coming to a stop in air by them with paws curled up under your chin.

“There’s a stranger in Wonderland,” Tweedledee proclaimed.

“Very strange,” added Tweedledum.

“Came through the Looking Glass he did.” 

Your ears perked up at the news. A stranger. How peculiar. It wasn’t often Wonderland got a visitor. Finally something to strike your interest. 

“And where might I find this strange stranger?” you inquired while making a complete sideways spin in the air until you returned to your previous position.

At the same time the Tweedles pointed off to their right and said in unison, “That way.”

A most mischievous grin spread out over your pink and purple furred face to show your sharp white teeth as you faded to nothing. This should be entertaining. Your fur was bristling with excitement. The current situation had ignited your long dormant curiosity. You could only hope that this stranger would not disappointment. 

When you appeared again you were a good distance away in the direction the Tweedles had indicated. At first the only sound you heard was of a few birds chirping and a squirrel chewing on a walnut. Your right ear gave a twitch when the sound of crunching leaves reached it. Booted footsteps. With minimal ease you floated up higher into the air to where you were obscured by leaves but had a perfect view to observe the forest path below. 

Only moments later a man came brushing through some nearby foliage. He was a tall young man dressed mainly in black and dark colors. His demeanor gave you the impression of someone confident and perhaps a bit arrogant. Despite being in unfamiliar surroundings, he did not look at all bewildered like most strangers who ventured into Wonderland would be. Rather he looked bored while surveying his surroundings with his sapphire eyes. He stopped for a moment to breath out a disgruntled sigh and run a hand through his wild chestnut locks. 

Just as he took a step to continue on, he paused. His expression grew suspicious while his eyes surveying his surroundings far closer than before.

“I know you’re there,” he called out. “Come out.”

So he knew you were there. What an observant fellow. Perhaps you’d have a little fun with him. You vanished and reappeared out of sight behind a tree. In a rare moment you let your feet touch the ground to actually walk. It felt weird to do so after so long. Doing your best to act like a normal cat, you strolled out from behind the tree and hopped onto a nearby fallen log. 

The man had caught the motion from the corner of his eye and was immediately looking in your direction. An eyebrow arched on his face. “Just a cat,” he muttered more to himself. 

In response you meowed and then proceeded to lick your paw. You held back the urge to scrunch up your nose in distaste. Ick. There was dirt on your paw and you’d just licked it up. How did normal cats do this all the time? It wasn’t at all pleasant. Guess it was a good thing you spent most of your time floating about the air where you couldn’t easily get dirty.

The whole dirt thing had distracted you long enough to not notice the man had crouched down in front of you. The next thing you knew his hand was scratching you behind one of your ears. Boy did it feel nice. The contact made you purr and close your eyes. Maybe you should let people do this more often. 

“You’re a strange cat,” the man commented on. 

Your mouth twitched. Don’t. Don’t do it. You’ll ruin your act. Try as you might you couldn’t keep the wide grin from spreading out. Cats weren’t exactly known for being able to smile quite so wide and the man took notice right away. Much to your dismay, his hand stopped scratching your ear. For a few long moments he just stared down at your smiling furry face a bit confused. 

You turned your head off to one side while placing a paw over your mouth as you began to giggle. The louder your giggles became the more you started to fade until you were completely gone. The man had stood up again when you reappeared on his head. Still giggling you peered down at the man’s face. Oddly enough he wasn’t at all shocked at what had happened. He looked more amused than anything. 

“What manner of creature are you?” questioned the man. 

“Who me?” you replied playfully. “I am but a simple cat.” 

“Simple cats don’t talk or float for that matter.”

Oh my, you had begun to float and hadn’t even noticed. “I do suppose you are right,” you said as you floated on you back around the man. “If you really must know what I am, I’d tell you….. if I could. I honestly have no idea myself.” When you stopping in front of him you gave him your trademark grin. “My friends have come to call me the Cheshire Cat and so can you if you'd like. It matters little to me.”

“Such an odd name.” 

You turned upside down with your eyes staring upon the man curiously. “Do you have something you'd rather call me? Do tell if you do.”

The man was quiet for a few long moments to give the question some thought. “Y/N.”

“Y/N.” You repeated it slowly to get a feel of the name. It rolled off the tongue nicely and had a pleasant ring to it. It would do. While turning back right side up you gave an approving nod to the name choice. “Very well. You may call me that but what can I call you my strange stranger?“

The man grinned as he gave a little bow.“The name’s Jefferson. I have business here in Wonderland…. “ He paused for a moment looking to be in thought. “You appear to be a creature that knows much.”

“I may. “

“Maybe you can help me. I'm looking for a glass orb. About this big. “ He held up his hands to make a round shape about the size of a grapefruit. “And a pair of magic slippers. “

“I have some knowledge I could share. “

“What do you want for your information?”

Of course there had to be an exchange for such information. Couldn’t just give it away for free. Luckily for Jefferson it was easy enough to please you. “Another scratch behind the ears will do. “

Those Jefferson looked baffled by such an easy request, he obliged nonetheless. In response you purred loudly. Yes, that would do quite nicely and so you gave him the information he sought. 

“I know of this orb you seek. It's locked away tight not far from here to the north under constant guard. “

“And the slippers?”

You shrugged your little shoulders. “If they have been here I have not heard and I hear much. There have been whispers of strange happenings in Oz. You may want to try there.”

“I should be on my way then. My client is not the patient type. Farewell (Y/N).”

As Jefferson went to walk away, you followed alongside him. It wasn’t until he noticed you that you spoke, “How do you expect to get past those guards? They are near invincible and very stubborn.”

Jefferson cast you a look. “And I take it you know how to get past them.”

“Aye.” He looked ready to speak again but you cut him off. “I’ll help you at no cost. I’ve been dreadfully bored lately and this sounds like fun. Though this form will not do.” 

You sped ahead of Jefferson to land on a large flat boulder about ten feet away. A swirling puff of purple and pink smoke grew around you to hide you from view. The smoke swirled higher until it was between five to six feet tall. A gust of wind pushed the smoke away to reveal you once more. However now instead of a cat, stood a human. It had been so long since you’d used your original form. Despite this you had no issue adjusting to the different body structure and movement that came with being human. You stood with body dropped into a little curtsy and body garbed in an off the shoulder dress of your favorite color. Your face was tilted down slightly with your eyes closed and a grin still on your face. The light breeze drifted through the forest played with your trestles of hair that were the original color you had been born with save for the few random streaks of purple and pink. When you lifted your face you opened your eyes. Even in this form your eyes continued to shift between colors but now your pupils were round instead of slanted. 

Jefferson was surprised, though he did not let that stay in his expression long before replacing it with amusement. His eyes followed you as you jumped daintily from one rock to another on bare feet that barely touched each rock before moving onto the next. On the last rock you twirled on the front of one foot causing your skirt to flutter around you. When your twirl stopped you were facing Jefferson who had begun walking toward you. 

“This is certainly a surprise,” Jefferson commented upon as he held a hand out to you. Once you had taken hold of it with your own, he helped you down from the rock. 

You more floated down from the rock than stepped and even after you still remained about a half inch off the ground. It seemed like your body didn’t want to fully embrace gravity just yet. 

Instead of letting go of your hand Jefferson pulled you closer to him after noticing your lack of having touched the ground. “I’ve heard of being light on your feet, but this is a bit extreme,” he said with a chuckle.

“To fly is to be free,” you replied as you allowed your body to raise up until you were lying horizontally in the air with your face at even height with Jefferson’s. 

Your free hand was taken up by him so now he held both of them and intertwined his fingers with yours. The two of you remained like this with eyes locked. What was it about this man that had you so enticed? This was all so very new. Only vaguely did you happen to notice the distance between you and him was starting to shrink as he was bringing you closer. Your lips were just a hair’s breath away when it clicked in your mind just how close you two had become. Your cheshire grin appeared on your face as you started to fade. Before contact could be made you had vanished and then appeared behind him on the same large boulder you’d been on before. You were now lying on your stomach with legs bent at the knees and ankles crossed while you propped your chin up on your palms. 

“Naughty naughty boy,” you teased. 

Jefferson turned around and cocked a smirk. “What can I say? I couldn’t help myself,” he said. “If you’d allow me a proper kiss next time, I can guarantee you won’t regret it.”

Your eyebrows arched. “My oh my, such confidence. Another time perhaps. For now though we have work to do. Mustn’t keep your client waiting.”

Things were going to get interesting.


	2. Tower Heist and Pocket Watches

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the long wait. Life has kept me busy.

The destination did not take long to reach. Maybe ten minutes of walking. All the while you kept catching Jefferson stealing glances your way when he thought you weren’t paying attention. Were you really that enticing to him? What a silly question. Just minutes before he’d tried to steal a kiss. So the answer was quite obvious. 

For most of the trip you strolled alongside him but as the destination came close you skipped ahead with arms behind your back and fingers laced. You stopped just short of where the forest gave way to clearing. Where you stood thick foliage hid you from view to anyone that lay beyond. Carefully you parted the foliage enough for you to peer out into the clearing. 

It was a great contrast to the lush forest that circled it. The ground was mostly bare dark dirt with any grass having died a long time ago leaving behind only brown brittle tuffs. The old tower in the middle fit right in with its dirty stone walls and dried up old vines that snaked around it. There looked to be the broken remains of what could have been another structure that had once been attached but now it was a ghost of its previous self. Faintly you could recall a time when this spot had been as beautiful as the rest of the forest but that had been long ago.

Standing in front of the chipped red painting door that gave entry to the tower were the tower’s only defense. Two guards dressed identically in light armor that bore the sigil of the Queen of Hearts upon their chest plates. It was the same two who were always there, bound by oath and magic to guard the tower for however long it stayed standing. The arrangements had been made long ago by a past Queen of Hearts. Within the tower was all sorts of her silly treasures apparently. Though that queen was long gone, the guards remained. 

Honestly you did not even know what the current Queen even looked like. The keeper of the position was ever changing with every few decades or so. No matter who took up the mantle a few facts always tended to be the same for some curious reason. The Queen would be a lunatic who adored red far too much and often had a fascination with cutting off the heads of those that displeased her. Disturbing indeed. You’d been on the receiving end of her executioner’s axe many times in the past but each time they discovered it wasn’t so simple to separate you from your head. One queen in particular had gone red as a tomato in anger when the axe had failed to send your head rolling. She had been like a toddler throwing a tantrum. Actually it had been quite hysterical. 

“They don't look so tough,” commented Jefferson as he came up beside you with arms folded across his chest. His voice drew you from your thoughts of that tomato faced queen.

“Looks can be deceiving,” you chimed, nodding knowingly. “Certain death awaits those who would blindly attack them.” The magic they were under had ‘interesting’ side effects when anyone with hostile intent came to close. 

Jefferson glanced at you out of the corner of his eye. “And what do you have in mind to get past them?”

You rocked back on your heels and grinned slyly. “Leave everything to me.” After a quick wink in his direction, that left a faint pink tint to his cheeks, you stepped out into the clearing. Sure your ability to fade away and appear elsewhere would have made it incredibly easy to get inside the tower to retrieve the orb without the guards being any the wiser but where was the fun it that. 

Taking a few steps into the clearing you appeared to be in deep thought and unaware of your surroundings. The guards were quick to notice you. Almost immediately you had their full attention. At first their muscles tensed and their weapons shifted to point at you. However as they got a good look at who had dared enter the clearing they stared upon you with confused eyes. They had expected another foolish warrior but instead they got a weak looking girl who they could only assume was an airhead for wandering into such a dangerous place. 

If you had come in armed and looking for a fight things would have gotten messy real fast.There wasn’t a single thing threatening about you though. They weren't entirely sure how to handle this odd turn of events. 

And that you were going to use to your advantage. 

“Oy! Girl!” called the guard on the right, his voice rough and deep. He was on the shorter side with a thick curry beard of decent length. Though you had heard him you acted as if you hadn’t as you walked deeper into the clearly and closer to them. “OY!” 

This time you did react. Looking startled you turned to face the guards. “Terribly sorry. Were you talking to me?” you asked giving them your most innocent smile.

The short guard looked visibly annoyed while his comrade was stricken with a flushed face.

“She’s pretty,” the guard on the left commented. In contrast to his comrade he was tall with a clean shaven face and freckles. He grunted loudly as the shorter one elbowed him in the gut and cast him a glare. 

“Idiot,” grumbled shorty before fixating his stone gaze on you again. “Aye I was talking to you. This area is off limits. Now scat!”

Instead of leaving you kept on smiling and knocked yourself lightly upon the head. “Oh dear. My apologies. I was so lost in my own thoughts I failed to notice where my feet had taken me. I’ll hurry on my way.” You turned around but did not leave right away. The next words you said were spoken to yourself though still loud enough for the guards to hear. “I wonder if they might know the answer to the riddle.” You shrugged your shoulders. “Probably not.” Before you could take a single step, the short guard called out. 

“DId you say riddle?”

A sly grin formed on your lips. When you turned back around the sly grin had faded to be replaced with your kindly smile again. “I did. I recently was told a riddle that I just can’t figure out.”

For the first time shorty grinned. “I don’t like to brag…” His demeanor said otherwise as it was brimming with smugness while he gave his chest a pound. “...but I’m an expert when it comes to riddles.”

Beside him his comrade rolled his eyes. This didn’t go unnoticed and earned him another elbow to the gut. 

You clapped your hands in front of you as your grin widened. “You are? That’s wonderful. Might I test your skill first?”

Shorty looked eager enough to show off. “Oh course.”

And so you tested him starting with easy riddles that even a child could figure out and then gradually increased the difficulty. With every right answer you commended the guard on his intelligence which swelled his already large ego. And then came the riddle he couldn’t figure out.

But his fellow guard could. 

When the tall guard piped in with the correct answer, there was a flash of anger in shorty’s eyes. And then it happened again and again with the next couple of riddles. Now it became a contest between the two to see who could answer the riddles first. Tension was building between them very fast. Freckles was clearly less skilled in riddles than his shorter comrade but the flirty glances you’d cast him when he answered right first fueled him to strain his brain much more than he might normally. 

“You’re both incredible,” you told him with a wide grin. The time was right. “I’m sure between the two of you, I can finally get an answer to this riddle that has been bothering me for some time.” 

They both leaned in closer to hear the riddle as clearly as they could. 

“Why is a raven like a writing desk?”

Both opened their mouths as if to answer but then hesitated when they realized they didn’t have any clue what the answer was. They were positively baffled and for good reason. 

“I know this. Just give me a moment,” spoke shorty.

“Yeah right,” grumbled the other guard.

A vein pulsed on shorty’s forehead. “Shut it!” 

“Just admit you’re as stumped as I am.”

“Just because you don’t know doesn’t mean I don’t.”

“Who says I don’t!?”

“You did!”

“I did not!”

The two were practically at each other’s throats now. All the while you were just smiling away and rocking on your heels. How easily they played right into your plan. With them so distracted it was the perfect time for the last stage. A twirl of your finger caused a single flower to appear in your hand. It was a lovely little thing that held a secret within its petals that you were about to share. 

“Gentlemen,” you purred.

Both sets of eyes turned to you and both realized too late what awaited them. 

You brought in a breathe to blow over the flower. However when the tips of the flowers petals tickled your nose, your plans went a little different. 

ACHOO!!

The pollen was sent soaring at the unexpected guards who inhaled it before they had a chance to register what was coming at them. The effects were quick. Dizziness took hold of both of them sending them falling. As they fell the short guard said one final thing, his glazed over eyes staring at you. 

“Should have known….that damn cat again.” And then both guards were on the ground snoozing away. 

You couldn't stop the giggles. Such fun that had been. In the end you’d been found out though. Too late for them to do anything about it of course. You were quite proud of yourself for having tricked them again. It had always been just for fun as you'd never actually even gone into the tower before. Nothing held interest for you in there so why bother?

Wait a second though. Cat? How did he know? With some difficulty you’d managed to keep your eyes at one color the whole time so that wasn’t what had clued him in. 

It wasn’t until fur brushed against your hand that you knew. Your tail had appeared. That was not all. When you reached up on your head you found your car ears there as well. A quick inspection of yourself concluded that those were the only features that had surfaced again from your other form. Now how did that happen? The sneeze maybe? Oh well. Wasn’t important.

“Taken down by a flower……,” your companion in crime murmured with a shake of the head as he came to stand beside you. “Why not use it sooner?”

“They needed to be distracted,” you explained with hands behind your head and balance on your heels. “If I’d tried to use the flower too soon they’d have caught onto my less than friendly intentions and well…….you don’t want to know what would have happened.”

Jefferson looked like he was about to ask another question but you cut him off before he could.

“They won’t be asleep long. Best hurry and get what you came for.”

You waited outside as Jefferson slipped into the tower to retrieve that little orb he’d been after. Briefly you wondering what the orb could be used for. In the end though you found you really weren’t as interesting in that as you’d first thought. 

After maybe five minutes Jefferson was back, orb in hand. No sooner had he exited that the shorter guard made a weird grunt nose. It only took a quick glance at him to realize it was time to make yourselves scarce.

“Time to go,” you said as you got behind Jefferson and began pushing him into a brisk walk in the direction of the forest. There was a grunt followed by a low growl behind you. You pushed Jefferson faster. Even once you both were back under the coverage of the forest you didn’t stop just to be on the safe side. The guards couldn’t leave the clearing due to the spell on them but when dealing with guards that could shapeshift into monsters when threatened, it was best to play it safe. 

Once you felt the two of you were far enough away you stopped pushing Jefferson. Immediately he turned to face you, though his eyes kept glancing around you back in the direction of the clearing as loud roars could be heard in that direction.

“Don’t worry. They can’t leave the clearing,” you reassured him. 

He looked ready to dig deeper on the subject but decided against it. This world was a weird one. That was for sure. He’d gotten what he’d come for at least with not much trouble at all. Perhaps he should count himself lucky he’d run into you. 

“I suppose you’ll be leaving now,” you told him trying to hide the disappointment and failing. 

“Unfortunately yes,” replied Jefferson. “My client can be….impatient.” 

With a delicate grip he took up your hand in his. Something cold slipped onto your wrist. A beautiful bracelet was the cause, the gems that adorned it the same color as your dress. Your eyes were wide with curiosity as you stared upon this most unexpected gift. When you looked back at Jefferson, he grinned. 

“A token of my appreciation for helping me,” he said. “I found it in the tower. Thought it’d look good on you. I was right.”

Your face heated up. Were you blushing?

Still gripping your hand, he bent into a bow and placed a feathery kiss upon it, all while not breaking eye contact with you.

His actions were amusing and they made you grin. Such a gentleman this Jefferson was. 

“Until we meet again….” Jefferson said, his words trailing off for a moment. Abruptly he pulled you forward until the tips of your noses touched, “Y/N.” The name he'd given you rolled off his tongue as smooth as silk. Those pools of blue shimmered in the light of the setting sun, memorizing. For the first time in forever you were speechless. 

Deep inside something stirred. Something that had long been dormant within you. 

Your humanity.

You weren’t entirely sure what had triggered it. It couldn’t have been the bracelet, could it? Was it how close Jefferson was to you and how his breath fell so softly across your slightly parted lips. Maybe it was the the way he’d said your gifted name with his gaze so intently locked with yours? 

Eyes?

Unbeknownst to you, your eyes had taken to the color you’d been born with. Though they had often shifted to colors close to this it had never been the same. Always far brighter in shade than normal eyes could manage. Now however they looked like any normal colored eyes and that had not gone unnoticed by Jefferson. 

Curiosity filled his gaze. Before he could question it though, the moment was gone. Your eyes returned to their normal can’t decide a color self.

The two of you parted ways soon after with an unspoken promise between you to see each other again. He better not keep you waiting too long. 

When he was out of sight, loneliness set in. To ease this you raised your wrist to gaze upon the bracelet he'd swiped for you. It would serve as a reminder of him until he came back. 

You were off in your own little world when the white rabbit appeared. 

He just hopped up beside you and sat there, red eye stared intently up at you. 

The sight of him made your usual cheery eyes go stone cold. The smile had dropped from your expression to be replaced with a deep frown. That wasn’t just any rabbit. This rabbit was wearing a tailcoat with a white dress shirt and a pocket watch poking out of his coat pocket. Immediately you turned from him and took to a quick pace to put as much distance between you and him as possible. 

After only a few steps, there was a great gust of wind behind you. You attempted to walk faster but that wouldn't save you from the arm that grabbed you around the waist and the hand that came up to hold your throat in a grip just shy of cutting off airflow. 

“It's rude to ignore me, “ a masculine voice breathed into your ear. 

You tried to fade away, to escape. That proved as always useless around him. Nothing happened. Your irritation at this made him chuckle.

“I have nothing to say to you,” you told him sternly with narrowed eyes. 

That chuckle rumbled in his throat again. “Maybe so but I have plenty to say to you or rather ask.”

Roughly you were turned around to face your capture. You would have darted away if you could have but you’d been immediately backed into a tree. Thankfully at least the hand at left your throat. However now both hands were placed on the trunk of the tree on either side of you with the arms keeping you boxed in. 

In front of you loomed a tall handsome man who only appeared to be in his twenties. In truth he was far older. How old? No one really knew. His long hair was snow white and his eyes the color of blood. This man was the famed white rabbit though he was far from being as innocent as the stories might say. A greedy deceiver he was who lead unsuspecting humans into Wonderland for his own amusement. Wonderland wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. There was a dark underlining that many of his unsuspecting victims would stumble unexpectedly into, with some subtle help from him. His favorite sport had always been young girls. Rumor was that all of the Queen of Hearts were products of his dark influence after he’d lured them into Wonderland. Knowing him, it was probably true. 

Many knew him as just the white rabbit but he had a name that he’d thought you worthy to know. Leveret. 

“You just helped someone break into the old tower. Why?” Leveret asked.

With a smug little grin you replied, “Because I can.”

“Little kitten, you know you can’t lie to me. The truth now.”

Ugh. Little kitten? Oh how you hated being called that. You bet he called you that just because he knew you didn’t like it. The man always seemed to find amusement in the discomfort of others.

Using your speed to your advantage, you ducked under his arm and darted to the side. Facing him still, you let your feet leave the ground as you floated backward.

“If you can have your countless secrets, I can have my one,” you told him sticking your tongue out. 

Leveret turned, his eyes on you piercing. Any normal person would cower when gazed upon by those eyes so harshly. You on the other hand were not phased. This was a look you’d gotten countless times in the past. It had lost its effect on you long ago. 

There was another smart ass remark waiting on your tongue but it became lost to you. Your head had begun to pound. It felt like your head was splitting. The ground was under your feet again and then your knees when your legs gave out under you. The forest melted away into a scene that left you wide eyed and afraid. You were in a room of a great Victorian house

…..and everything was ablaze. 

Flames were licking at everything, inching closer and closer to you. The smoke was thick making your eyes water and breathing labored. Through the smoke and fire there was one clear detail that sat out clearly among everything. The white rabbit with red eyes just staring at you. 

You put your hands on your head and clamped your eyes shut. What was this? The scene felt so familiar. Why? 

A hand came to rest across your eyes and a wave of cool relief washed over you almost instantly. The smoke was gone and the heat of the fire had faded.

“Stupid girl. You’ve been in that form to long and awaken things best left buried,” you heard Leveret say. It was his hand over your eyes. “Let them fade back into obscurity.” 

Even as your mind struggled to hold onto the images you had seen, something else was snatching them away. Soon you couldn’t even remember what had just happened. All you knew now was fatigue. 

Leveret’s hand left your eyes. With a glazed over expression you just stared at his crouched form in front of you. Your eyes were so heavy. Vaguely you noticed you were at a cat again with the bracelet around you more like a necklace in this smaller form. 

“Rest little kitten. Slip back into darkness again,” you were told by the white rabbit. 

Your body was happy to oblige. Already you could feel it giving into sleep while you began to fade. As tired as you were, you still noticed immediately when Leveret tried to take the bracelet from you. 

“No. Mine,” you hissed at him as you curled up into a ball. Though displeased, Leveret did not try again. 

Moments later you were gone, having completely faded away. This time you did not appear again for quite some time. As you floated in darkness your thoughts circled around one thing and one thing only. 

Jefferson.


	3. All in Good Fun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A drug reference in this chapter. Just a warning for anyone this may bother.

“I feel like I’m floating,” you said while drifting almost drunkenly through the air. After the words had finished you went on a giggle fit that wouldn’t stop.

“You are floating. You’re always floating,” replied the grumpy caterpillar.

“Yeah but I “feel” like it too now.” Your floating was very erratic, more than usually anyway. There were lots of loops and random swerving. The reason for your odd behavior was quite simple. You’d just taken a puff off the caterpillar's hookah. At first the old grump had refused when you'd asked. Your curiosity had finally gotten the better of you on what it would be like. After a constant barrage of pestering he'd finally conceded. Now he was regretting it after seeing how it had affected you. 

Whatever that big old bug had in there had left you extremely giddy, giggly, and hungry all at once. It was all such a fun experience. Your eyes were acting pretty crazy as well. Instead of changing between solid colors they were a mix of multiple colors at once and shifting color far more frequently. 

At your antics the caterpillar only sighed and took another great puff from his hookah. He pretty much ignored you after this.

It had been weeks since you’d seen Jefferson but you had not lost hope he’d return again. It was only a matter of time.

Giggly and grinning like a complete idiot, you drifted on your back around the caterpillar. You were behind him when he suddenly spoke, but not to you. 

“Who are you?” questioned the caterpillar. 

Curiosity getting the better of you, you drifted upward until you could peak over the bug's head. The sight that awaited you had you scrambling over caterpillar's head, much to his annoyance, and diving down in front of him. 

“Jefferson!” you exclaimed with great glee as you shifted into your human form mid drop. Your actions caught him completely off guard so when you collided into him with arms wrapped around his neck, you caused him to lose his balance and fall to the ground with you on top. 

This had been the first time you'd gone to this form since you'd seen him last. The thought had entered your mind on occasion but you always decided against it. 

Falling over with Jefferson hadn't phased you at all. You just remained lying on him with a great big grin on your face. Though abruptly you sat up and looked down at him with frantic multicolored eyes. “Did you bring snacks? Please tell me you brought snacks.” He just sort of stared at you oddly which you took as a no. 

In your eyes what you had done had been innocent enough. For Jefferson things were quite…. .awkward. While you remained unaware of the ‘suggestive’ position the two of you were in, he was very much aware. It didn't help that you were fidgety. There was only one situation where he might have a woman on top of him like this and it involved far less clothing. Needless to say, whether he willed it or not, a part of his body had responded. 

You had remained blissfully ignorant of what you'd caused until you noticed something hard press against your leg. Instead of being embarrassed, you fell once again into a giggle fit. 

“Oops, “ you said through your giggles as you floated up off of Jefferson to relieve him from the awkwardness you'd unintentionally caused. 

After a moment Jefferson sat up, his gaze following you as you floated absentmindedly around him. 

“What has gotten into you?” he asked with an amused grin. Within his mind he tried to tuck away those less than proper thoughts that had entered his mind when you'd been sitting on him. 

After one final circling of Jefferson, you landed on a nearby boulder on your back with your head hanging off the edge a little so everything was upside down including Jefferson. At some point you'd return to your bizarre colored cat form. 

“Caterpillar. Hookah,” you replied, still smiling that goofy grin that looked so odd upon a cat. 

Jefferson cast a quick look at the caterpillar who completely ignored him. 

It would appear the caterpillar had chosen to ignore the other two in his presence. He was under the impression that of he ignored you both long enough you'd go away and let him have some peace and quiet again. 

You'd spaced out at this point wondering randomly about why the sky was blue and not purple. Purple would be better. Speaking of purple. What would it taste like if you could eat it. It wasn't until the smell of raspberries drifted to your nose that you were aware again of your own surroundings.

A drawstring bag was being dangled over your nose by Jefferson who was now seated next to. The smell was coming from that bag. You were quick to grab it and roll over to indulge in the yummies that hid within. Once seated on your back legs you immediately scooped pawfuls of raspberries up to shove eagerly into you mouth. 

Jefferson watched you silently, being thoroughly amused.

When the raspberries were gone, you grabbed the bag by the bottom and shook it upside down a few times just to make sure you’d finished them all. Sadly you had. With a flick of your paw you tossed it back to Jefferson. “Thank you.” you said with a grin. Ever so slowly the effects of using the hookah were wearing off. It had been a fun experience though you didn’t intend to try it again. Not like you’d be able to again anyway. The caterpillar would likely never give in to such a request again. He’d also wandered off. Probably tired of waiting for you and Jefferson to leave. 

With a graceful jump you soared upward to land on Jefferson’s shoulder. 

“Do you have any business in Wonderland again?” you inquired.

“None besides seeing you again,” answered Jefferson as he gave your ear a scratch. As always you thoroughly enjoyed this and purred involuntarily. “Honestly I don’t care too much for Wonderland. You’re the only thing I’ve found interesting and the only reason I had for returning.” He cast you a little smirk. “I would prefer if you’d return to your other form though.”

You placed a paw to your mouth as you giggled. “You’d like that wouldn’t you.” Your paws lifted from his shoulders and you came to float in front of him. “ I do fear if I agreed to your request you may become to…...excited again.” Oh how you enjoyed poking fun at the events from earlier.

A bit of scarlet set in over Jefferson’s face. Before speaking again he closed his eyes and cleared his throat. “Those were special circumstances. You were straddling me.” True enough but it was far too much fun to tease him on it. 

You had intended to shift forms but stopped when you heard the sounds of many footsteps. Jefferson had heard them too and was immediately on alert for possible danger. He had been right to be tense. Coming into view was an entourage of armed men wearing tunics displaying the sigil of the Queen of Hearts. In the middle of them supported by four build like a house muscled men was a large litter holding the queen herself. Just the person no one ever wanted to come across especially if the queen was in a mad mood. 

Spoiler, she’s always in a bad mood.

“You might not want to stick around,” you advised Jefferson while you were already almost faded from site. It was a certainty if the queen saw you that things would turn ugly. This particular queen had already tried to kill you three times as many times as any previous one. The angry tomato faced queen…..this was her. If you’d been alone you wouldn't have really cared if you’d been spotted. The queen and her men were no threat to you. You just didn’t want to get Jefferson to be known as someone who was associated with you. That would label him an enemy to the queen on the spot. Unfortunately your warning came too late. The queen had spotted him and had already urged her entourage in his direction.

You appeared again behind the boulder biding your time. If things played out right, the queen would be on her way soon enough. The likeliness of this was very slim. So you had to remain ready to jump in when the time arose if you were needed.

The entourage came to a stop about ten feet away. The men carrying the litter lowered it slowly to the ground before the two in the front got down on their knees in front of it to act as a human staircase for the queen.

Acting the part to perfection, the queen exited her litter with great grace. When her first foot came down to touch the ground, she missed the dirt and instead stepped on the hand of one of the men she used as a step. The man’s face scrunched up in pain but he made no noise. If he’d made any sort of a fuse it was likely off with his head. 

The queen was a beauty. There was no question to that. To bad her attitude stunk. Pretty on the outside and rotten on the inside as one might say. 

She regarded Jefferson with skeptical eyes. Obviously she wasn’t at all impressed by what she saw. No surprise there. There were few, if any, things that impressed her. Her displeasure started to turn to annoyance with a growing fury when Jefferson failed to show her the respect she thought she deserved as queen. 

Jefferson caught on quick. Even though it annoyed him to do so, he bent the knee to the queen. When he did, the queen’s growing fury faded. For now anyway.

“Who are you who dares enter my kingdom without my permission?” the queen asked not bothering to hide her disdain. 

Behind the rock you mocked her silently. Oh how you wished you could do it to her face but again you thought of Jefferson. It was for his own safety you did not show yourself.

“Just a traveller,” replied Jefferson.

“A traveller. I disrespectful one at that.” In her hand the queen held a closed victorian folding fan. She placed the tip of it under Jefferson’s chin and used it to raise his face to look directly up at her. “I admit a handsome one as well. I may be inclined to forgive you of your past impudence if you join me for tea.”

You face pawed. Really!? The queen was trying to invite him to tea. This was unexpected. It did give you an unfamiliar feeling of jealousy. You didn’t want that crazy woman anywhere near Jefferson. Yet, you knew the consequences of turning down the invitation. Before you even had a chance to think of a way to get Jefferson out of this situation, he gave the queen his answer. 

“Sorry but I must decline,” Jefferson replied. Your fur stood on end. Oh no. “I have a previous engagement.”

Things were going to get messy.

At a steady pace, the queen’s face started to go red in fury. Her shoulders were shaking and her teeth grinding. “You dare decline an invitation from me,” she spat. “THE QUEEN!!” Here it comes. “Guards! Seize this man at once! I want his head on the cutting block!”

Maybe not the usual wording but it got the message across. 

Jefferson was already on his feet ready to book it out of there. That was when you appeared before the guards much to their surprise. You jumped from one to the other pushing their helmet down over their eyes, succeeding in keeping them from following the queen’s orders if only temporarily. 

“YOU!” hissed the queen when she saw you. The grin you directed at her only made her already red face even darker with unbridled rage. “OFF WITH HER HEAD!” she screeched pointing her fan at you. Before the queen could react, you’d flown up to her, taken hold of the front of her wide brimmed hat and yanked it down over her eyes. She screamed in anger and made mad grabs for you even though she could not see you.

Quickly you flew back toward Jefferson while being engulfed in purple and pink smoke. In your human form again you grabbed onto his hands and pulled him clean into the air with you. This was the first time you’d ever hauled someone into the air. It wasn’t exactly easy given Jefferson was quite a bit bigger than you. You managed somehow as you flew the two of you into the safety of the forest and up high into the branches. Once far enough up you lowered you both onto one of the branches of a huge old tree. 

Down below you could hear the guards enter the forest and start a futile search. There was no chance of them seeing you and Jefferson. You were to far up the tree with plenty of branches to hide you from view of anyone below. 

As the guards’ footsteps and yelling faded from hearing, you let out a long breath. 

“That was close,” you said.

“Some royalty you have here,” Jefferson commented. “That woman was positively mad.” 

You couldn’t help but chuckle. “We’re all a little mad here. Some more than others.”

A tightening grip on your hands reminded you that you were still holding onto Jefferson’s hands. Jefferson’s eyes had focused in on this and then upon the bracelet around your wrist. With all that had gone on since he’d be reunited with you he’d failed to notice it. It made him happy to see you still wearing his gift.

Neither of you looked ready to release the other’s hands. Not yet anyway.

The sound of your gifted name drifted from Jefferson’s lips. He leaned in but only to rest his forehead against yours. His gaze locked with your and he watched with interest as once more those crazy color changing eyes of your set into that single natural color again from the other day. A grin spread over his lips that you mirrored without thought. His hands released yours hands and now were placed gently against the each side of your face while his thumbs ran across the soft skin of your cheek. Your heart skipped a beat as he lowered his lips. Yet he diverted to the side to grace your cheek with a few silky kisses. Each kiss brought him closer to your mouth. Just not close enough. When he did move his lips close enough he only hovered them over your, letting his breath fall over your lips, teasingly. 

You surprised yourself when your body reacted on its own. The taste of his lips were overwhelming when you’d chosen to close that final gap yourself. 

Though a bit surprised by you making the final move, there was no objection from Jefferson who had eagerly welcomed the kiss. His hands slipped off your face so his arms could wrap around you, pulling you fully to him. There was no objection from you. 

As you two shared such a blissful moment, there were eyes on you who were beyond displeased with the event that had just transpired. 

_Stupid girl. She didn't learn._


End file.
